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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 1 6 1 Peer Mentoring Works! How Peer Mentoring Enhances Student Success in Higher Education Evaluation Toolkit Jane Andrews & Robin Clark 1 Engineering Education Research Group Aston University. [email protected] [email protected] 1 The tools developed as part of this package represent work undertaken by the Engineering Education Research Group. Both parties have contributed equally to all aspects of this work.
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Page 1: Peer Mentoring Works! How Peer Mentoring Enhances Student ...publications.aston.ac.uk/.../1/ASTON_PEER_MENTORING... · 3. Impact of peer mentoring [for peer mentors and peer mentees]

Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 1

6

1

Peer Mentoring Works!

How Peer Mentoring Enhances Student Success in

Higher Education

Evaluation Toolkit

Jane Andrews & Robin Clark1

Engineering Education Research Group

Aston University. [email protected] [email protected]

1 The tools developed as part of this package represent work undertaken by the Engineering Education

Research Group. Both parties have contributed equally to all aspects of this work.

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 2

Context - Background

This evaluation kit provides two data collection tools that may be adopted and

adapted to meet institutional requirements.

The first of these is a survey. The survey is divided into six sections:

1. Background

2. Before starting university

3. Impact of peer mentoring [for peer mentors and peer mentees]

4. Questions for peer mentees only

5. Questions for peer mentors only

6. Looking back: On peer mentoring and your university experience.

This survey has been developed out of the original survey used in the Peer

Mentoring Works Project. Some questions have been added as a result of reflexive

application of colleagues and students input as the project has progressed.

The second part of the toolkit comprises a qualitative interview guide. This guide is

similar to the one used in the research, but again it has been further developed as a

result of the project. It may be adapted for use in focus groups or one-to-one

interviews.

The final document within the kit is a sample consent form.

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 3

Peer Mentoring Questionnaire

This questionnaire has been designed for you to tell us more about your experiences

of peer mentoring. Your views are very important and they will form part of a

government funded national project looking into the benefits of peer mentoring

programmes.

The questionnaire should take no more than 10 minutes to complete, as each

section is very short.

Please answer as honestly as possible. Your identity will remain anonymous and the

data stored in accordance with the Data Protection Act, 1998.

Thank you very much for your time.

If you are currently a mentor but have been a mentee please

answer the questions from your current perspective.

If you are both a mentee AND a mentor, then please choose just

one of the categories in Question 1 and answer the questionnaire

from that perspective.

You are welcome to complete the survey again later from the

other perspective.

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 4

Section 1: Background Details

1. Are you a:

Mentee Mentor

2. Are you:

Female Male

3. What is your ethnicity? [Please select from the ‘drop-down’ box]

If you selected Other, please specify:

4. Do you consider yourself to have a disability?

Yes No Prefer not to answer

5. What was your age upon commencing first year studies at this

university? (Please specify in the box below):

6. What is your current year of study?

1st 2nd 3rd 4th

Other (please specify):

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 5

7. What is your mode of study?

Full-time Part-time

Other (please specify):

8. Please specify your programme of study in the box below e.g. BSc

(Hons) Mathematics:

9. Are you:

A Home student (EU) An International student (Non-EU)

10. Where do you live?

University residence Off campus (private/rented) Off campus with parents

11. How did you find out about the peer mentoring programme?

(select all that apply)

Poster Website Freshers/Welcome week Open day Prospectus Virtual

Learning Environment (VLE) Email Lecturer Other staff member Fellow student

Other (please specify):

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 6

SECTION 2: Before starting University

12. Before starting university....

Please indicate your level of agreement / disagreement.

Strongly agree

Agree No opinion

/ neutral

Disagree Strongly disagree

a. ...I was anxious about making new friends

b. ...I felt prepared for university level study

c. ...I was anxious about adjusting to university

life

d. ...I felt confident about starting university

e. ...I was confident I had the ability to

develop my subject knowledge

f. ...I was confident I would be supported at university

g. ...I was apprehensive about starting university

h. ...I was confident about my communication skills

i. ...I was committed to completing my studies at university

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 7

Section 3: Impact of peer mentoring [for both peer mentors and

mentees]

13. As a result of participating in the peer mentoring programme...

Please indicate your level of agreement / disagreement.

Strongly agree

Agree No opinion

/ neutral

Disagree Strongly disagree

a. ...I feel part of the university

b. ...I feel I am making more use of the opportunities available at

university

c. ...I am finding my time at university more

enjoyable

d. ...I feel my communication skills are more developed

e. ...I am more committed to completing my course

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 8

14. As a result of participating in the peer mentoring programme...

Please indicate whether your confidence has increased or decreased.

Significantly increased

Increased Not changed

Decreased Significantly decreased

a. ...my confidence in

succeeding

in my studies

has...

b. ...my confidence about my

academic

skills has...

c. ...my subject

knowledge has...

d. ...my confidence in using

student services

has...

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 9

15. Your learning experience

Please indicate your level of agreement /

disagreement.

Strongly agree

Agree No opinion

/

neutral

Disagree Strongly disagree

a. Peer mentoring has positively influenced the

way I approach learning

b. Working with a peer has been a positive

learning experience

c. Peer mentoring has increased my interest in my subject area

d. Peer mentoring has helped me learn independently

e. I feel my grades will improve as a result of peer mentoring

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 10

16. The value of peer mentoring

Please indicate your level of agreement / disagreement.

Strongly agree

Agree No opinion

/ neutral

Disagree Strongly disagree

a. Peer mentoring is

responsive to my individual needs

b. I can relate to my mentor / mentee

c. Working with another student has been useful

d. I enjoy working on a one-to-one basis with a

student

e. I feel I can talk to my mentor / mentee if I am worried

f. I feel comfortable working with my mentor / mentee

g. I can talk to my mentor / mentee about things I would not

discuss with a member of staff

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 11

Section 4: Questions for PEER MENTEES ONLY

If you are a mentee then consider the following statements and indicate

the extent to which you agree / disagree with them.

17. Being part of the peer mentoring programme...

Please indicate your level of agreement /

disagreement.

Strongly

agree

Agree No

opinion

/

neutral

Disagree Strongly

disagree

a. ...has given me a

good insight into

studying at university

level

b. ...has made me more

confident about

successfully completing

this year of study

c. ...has made me

better prepared to cope

with the demands of my

course

d. ...has allayed any

fears I may have had

about coming to

university

18. Was your mentor adequately prepared for their mentoring role?

Yes No Could have been better prepared

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 12

Section 5: Questions for PEER MENTORS ONLY

If you are a mentor then consider the following statements and indicate

the extent to which you agree / disagree with them.

19. Please indicate some of the reasons why you became a mentor by

ticking the appropriate boxes below:

(select all that apply)

I have been a mentee previously

I have been a mentor previously

I thought it would enhance my CV

I wanted to help another student

I wanted to engage in an extra-curricular activity

I wanted to meet people from different backgrounds

I received a financial incentive

Other (please specify):

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 13

20. Consider the following statements and indicate the extent to which you

agree / disagree with them.

Please indicate your level of agreement /

disagreement.

Strongly

agree

Agree No

opinion

/

neutral

Disagree Strongly

disagree

a. I was given support

when I needed it from the

central mentoring office. r

b. The training I received

prepared me for the role

c. I was supported by the

mentoring coordinator in

my School

d. I sought support from

other peer mentors

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 14

Section 6: Looking back – Peer Mentoring, Learning & Your

University Experience

These questions are for Peer Mentors and Mentees. They are entirely

voluntary, and as with the rest of the questionnaire, your answers will be

completely anonymous.

21. During your time at university have you ever thought about leaving?

Yes No Not sure

22. If yes, please when and why in the box below.

21. If you have thought about leaving did peer mentoring influence your

decision to stay?

Yes No Not Applicable

22. If yes, please explain how.

23. How can the peer mentoring programme be improved?

Thank you for completing this questionnaire. Your answer will help us

improve the programme and meet the needs of future students.

If you have any queries please contact____________________________

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 15

Qualitative Research: Interview Guides

1. Focus Group / Individual Interview Guide: Peer Mentors

This focus group / individual interview guide was developed using the survey

findings. The guide utilises semi-structured interview techniques. The onus is on the

individual interviewer to use and adapt the questions as appropriate.

This approach provided the participants with the opportunity to fully explore the

issues they feel important, whilst allowing the interviewers the means by which all of

the relevant matters could be covered in some depth.

Six themes will be addressed:

1. Before University 2. Becoming a Peer Mentor 3. Meeting the students 4. Reflections on being a Peer Mentor 5. Added value of Peer Mentoring 6. Outcomes of Peer Mentoring

Before University

- Focus on reasons for choosing [ ] University

- Begin with generic question… o Why did you select to study at …

[Prompts may include…]

Location

Course / programme

Studied at [ ] University previously

Access course

Familial link o What were main concerns about university

[Prompts if needed…]

Leaving home

Not knowing anybody

Being in a strange place

Not being smart enough

Making friends

Living arrangements

Money o How did you feel when you first arrived?

How did you feel before intro week What were your main concerns about intro week

o Were you aware of the Aston Peer Mentor scheme before attending University

o How did you prepare for the transition to university?

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 16

Becoming a Peer Mentor

- Why did you become a Peer Mentor o Reasons… [prompts if needed may include…]

Look good on CV Because I had a mentor (was it a good or bad experience) Enjoyed process last year Wanted to help people settle in Asked by lecturer / other person Friends were getting involved

- What did you feel about the application process

- How did you expect to benefit from being a Peer Mentor Training

- How did the training prepare you for the role

- What was the best part of the training

- Was there anything not covered in the training you would have liked to have been

First contact/meeting with mentees…

- When did you first get in touch with your mentee?

- How did you first make contact with your mentee?

- How did you prepare for this? Prompts – [ if needed may include…]

Mentor guide

Introductory form

Talked to other mentors

Talked to classmates

- How did you feel when you were contacting your mentee? [if needed may include…]

Excited

Nervous

Confident

- When did you first meet your mentee/s?

- How did the first meetings go?

- Where did you first meet?

- During the first meeting… o How did you introduce yourself o What were your thoughts when you first met your mentees o How did you make sure you were friendly / approachable o What did you do to make your mentees feel welcome o How did you introduce the university o What did you do with your mentee/s in subsequent meetings? o Did you meet your mentees families? o How much time did you spend talking to families?

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 17

- Did any of your mentees change peer mentors in the first week? o If yes – Why? How? When?

- How much contact did you have with your mentee/s during the initial week

- How did you help the students settle in

- What difference would you say your being there made to your mentees in the first few days?

Reflections on Transition: The Peer Mentoring Experience

- How well organised were the meetings you participated in with your mentees?

- On reflection was there anything in the way your organised the meetings that you would change?

- Was there anything that wasn’t included in the peer mentoring programme that you feel would have benefited new students?

- How did you find leading meetings with your mentee/s? o How would you describe your relationship? o What was the best / worst part of leading meetings o How did you make sure your mentee got what they wanted/expected

from the meeting??

Added value of Peer Mentoring

- In retrospect what was the most valuable thing you got out of being a Peer Mentor

o Prompts [if needed may include…] Building leadership skills Communication skills Organisational skills Making friends Facilitating meetings Easier to approach new situations

o Do you still keep in touch with any of the mentees o Why / why not

- Were there any negative aspects of being a mentor o Prompts [if needed may include…]

Too many demands on time Mentee didn’t seem to need or want me Difficult to make sure mentees felt included Not enough individual time / attention Not all the group members got on with each other

- Did any of your mentees discuss any worries they may have had about their studies

o Were you able to help o How?

- Did any of your mentees talk to you about any personal problems o Were you able to help o How o Why did they turn to you and not to a member of staff

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 18

o Was the problem solved

- Did you have to refer any of your mentees on to any other individuals/support services?

- Prompts – disability, counselling, personal tutor, student services etc

Outcomes of Peer Mentoring

- Did any of your students talk to you about dropping out? o Why did they want to drop out? o What were they worried about? o How did you deal with it?

Who did you seek further advice from? o What was the outcome?

Did they leave or stay?

- If you had to identify one key aspect of peer mentoring which you feel helps new students settle into university what would it be?

- Did you develop any long term friendships with your mentees

- Has being a mentor helped you with your studies o Is the main outcome mainly social – or social and academic

- Would you recommend the peer mentoring programme to future students o Why / why not

- When thinking about the role you played as a peer mentor, did reality meet expectations

Any other points individual students would like to raise…

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 19

2. Focus Group / Individual Interview Guide: Peer Mentees

This focus group / individual interview guide was developed using the survey

findings. The guide utilises semi-structured interview techniques. The onus is on the

individual interviewer to use and adapt the questions as appropriate.

This approach provided the participants with the opportunity to fully explore the

issues they feel important, whilst allowing the interviewers the means by which all of

the relevant matters could be covered in some depth

Five themes will be addressed:

1. Before University 2. Starting at University – Transition 3. Reflections of Peer Mentoring 4. Added value of Peer Mentoring 5. Outcomes of Peer Mentoring

Before University

- Why did you select to study at [ ] University … Prompts … [if needed may include…]

Location

Course / programme

Studied at Aston University previously

Access course

Familial link

- What were main concerns about university Prompts…[if needed may include…]

Leaving home

Not being smart enough

Not knowing anybody

Being in a strange place

Making friends

Living arrangements

Money

- How did you feel when you first arrived? How did you feel before Intro week What were your main concerns about Intro week

- Were you aware of the peer mentoring programme before you arrived? o If yes… did this influence your decision to attend [ ] university?

How?

- How did you prepare for the transition to university?

The Transition: Starting University

- When did you first have contact with your Mentor?

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 20

- How were you first in touch with your mentor? Prompts [if needed may include…]

Phone

Email

Facebook

Face-to-face

Not left on accommodation door

- How did the first meeting with your peer mentor go?

- How did you feel about meeting them before you actually met?

- Where did you first meet

- How did they introduce themselves

- What were your first thoughts when you met your mentor?

- How friendly / approachable was your Mentor

- How did they make you feel welcome

- How did they introduce the university

- What sort of activities did you do with your peer mentor in the first week of meeting

- Did you change Peer Mentors? o If yes – Why? How? When?

- How much contact did you have with your mentor during the first week

- How did your mentor help you settle in

- During the first few weeks did you think about leaving? o Why? o How did you mentor help?

Reflections on Transition: The Peer Mentoring Experience

- In what way did having a peer mentor impact on your first week?

- How many times have you met since the beginning of term?

- How well organised (or not) were the meetings you participated in with your Mentor ?

- Were there any meetings that you felt your mentor could have done something differently to what they did?

- Was there anything your mentor didn’t include, in terms of introductory activities, that you feel would have benefited you

- Was there anything your mentor did that particularly made your first term a good one?

- If you met as a group (with your mentor and their other mentees) how did you find this

- How (or not) did your mentor ensure you got what you needed from the meetings

- What sort of relationship do you have with your mentor now? o How has this changed over the course of the past few months?

-

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 21

Peer mentoring relationships

- In retrospect what was the most valuable thing you got out of Mentoring? Prompts [if needed may include…]

Confidence

Knowledge of the University/city

Making a friend

Advice on societies, social activities

Academic advice

- Do you still keep in touch with your Mentor o Why / why not o How often do you meet? o What do you do? o What do you talk about?

- Were there any negative aspects of your experience as a mentee Prompts [if needed may include…]

Confidence to ask questions

Not enough time / attention

Didn’t get on with mentor

- Did you talk to your Peer Mentor about any worries you may have had about your studies

o Were they able to help o How were they able to help o Why did you turn to your Mentor o Did they allay your fears

- Did you talk to your Mentor about any personal problems o Were they able to help o How were they able to help o Why did you turn to your Mentor o Was the problem solved

- Did your mentor refer you to any other individuals/support services o Prompts Disability, counselling, personal tutor, student services

Outcomes of Peer Mentoring

- If you had to identify one key aspect of the peer mentoring programme that helped you settle into University what would it be?

- Did you develop a friendship with your peer mentor?

- Has the peer mentoring programme helped you settle into your studies o Is the main outcome mainly social – or social and academic

- Would you recommend the Aston Peer Mentor scheme to future students o Why / why not

- Any other issues you would like to raise or questions…

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Jane Andrews & Robin Clark: Peer Mentoring Evaluation Tool Kit Page 22

Peer Mentoring Focus Group Research: Participant’s Consent Form [Sample]

Thank you agreeing to take part in the Peer Mentoring Research Project. The aim of

this project is to find the value of writing in helping students succeed in Higher

Education. The findings from this Focus Group will be used to help the University

decide on the future of Peer Mentoring.

All issues are discussed in full confidentiality*. There will be no disclosure of

individual details.

First name__________________________________________________________

Peer Mentor / Peer Mentee_____________________________________________

Programme of study__________________________________________________

Date of enrolment_____________________________________________________

Home Country_______________________________________________________

I hereby consent to taking part in the focus group about Peer Mentoring. I

understand that any quotes used from the focus group will not be attributable to me

in anyway.

I also understand that participation is entirely voluntary and that I may withdraw from

the study at any time.

Signature___________________________________________________________

Date_______________________________________________________________

* Everything discussed in the research is confidential. This means we ask that you do not talk to

anyone else about what has been said, other than to the researchers or fellow members of the group

(if in focus group).


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